Changes Over Time
by emalyd4295
Summary: Troy and Gabriella graduate and go their separate ways. They promise to wait for each other. Chad attends the same college as Gabriella. Then Troy comes back, after 4 years. Will he change everything they have? 2-shot! Better summary inside! Complete!
1. I'll wait for you

**A/N- I decided to start a new story for High School Musical the other day. I never really read or even see any Chadella's. At first it starts out as a Troyella but if I continue it, it will become a Chadella. Also, I'd like to give a shout out to my big sis Brianna (xobriannaxo on FanFic) for helping me out with this plot.**

**Summary-- Troy and Gabriella graduate and go their separate ways. They promise to wait for each other. Chad attends the same college as Gabriella, since he doesn't get a scholarship like Troy. Then Troy comes back, after 4 years. Will he change everything they have? Will it all be the same as before? Troyella, Chadella…**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything.**

**HSM**

"…Well, I'd just like to congratulate all of the East High seniors. Have a safe and happy summer! Enjoy college!" the principal of East High congratulated.

His speech was followed by cheers and hollers and whistles.

"Oh my gosh, Troy! I can't believe it! We're officially adults," Gabriella yelled over the noise.

"I know! Next step is college," Troy smiled at her.

"Then, marriage and kids and everything after that!" Gabriella laughed as Troy kissed her.

**HSM**

"So, Gabby, which college are you going to?" Taylor asked her best friend.

"I want to stay close to home so I've decided to go to University of New Mexico Los Alamos. I hear they have a good math and statistics program there" she revealed.

Troy wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Really?" he said.

"Yeah. Where are you going Tay?" Gabriella asked, ignoring Troy's oddness.

"I thought about going to Georgia State for journalism," Taylor answered.

"Chad, where you going," Troy questioned.

"Same as Gabby. I didn't get my basketball scholarship because of my grades so I'm just going to take a few Business Technology courses there," Chad lowered his head.

He hadn't wanted anything more than that scholarship to Florida State. But because of his grades, he lost it all.

"Oh. I'm going to Florida State," Troy said, looking around.

He felt bad but he couldn't stay behind because of his friend's mistakes.

"Oh. I would've thought you'd go to UNMLA," Chad said with disappointment in his voice.

"No. I got the um…scholarship there," Troy said. He hated having to seem as though he was smarter than his friend but it was somewhat true.

"Oh."

"That's a great college. You don't need basketball. It's good for you to expand your knowledge in a different area" Taylor comforted Chad.

"Easy for you to say," Chad scoffed.

"Chad, don't be that way. You're going to do great. You don't need basketball," Taylor repeated.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. It's a great college. It has a lot of good programs, too," Gabriella reassured.

"Um, so Troy, how are you and Gabby going to keep your relationship up," Chad started trouble. He still was resenting Troy because of his scholarship.

"I don't…know. I guess we're just going to…I don't know. I haven't really thought about that. Have you, Gabby?" Troy asked.

"Actually, yeah. I just kind of figured we could keep up with a long term relationship," Gabriella informed him.

"Oh."

"Wait, that's all you have to say? Oh?" Gabriella mimicked. Now Chad felt bad for bringing the problem up.

"Chad. I think we should go," Taylor said, gesturing towards the door. They left abruptly and neither Gabriella nor Troy cared or even noticed.

"What do you want me to say?" Troy asked her.

"I don't know. You should know what to say," Gabriella shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I don't," he looked down.

Whatever," Gabriella sighed.

Troy got up and looked at Gabriella with hurt in his eyes. He loved her and wanted to make the relationship work. He couldn't if she wasn't willing to contribute to the relationship. He couldn't do it all by himself.

**HSM**

"…I just don't know what to do anymore. She wants to make the relationship work and so do I but I can't do it alone. She's not making things better," Troy told Chad over the phone.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Chad offered.

He and Gabriella were best friends since they were in diapers. Chad was always able to reason with her.

"Yeah, I guess. She'll probably listen and talk to you," Troy muttered.

"Alright. I'll go talk to her. I'll call you if I get anywhere," Chad hung up his cell phone.

**HSM**

"Hey, Gab," Chad said when Gabriella answer the door.

"Hey, what's up?" she said gesturing for him to come in.

He sat on her couch. "Nothing. So, how are you and Troy going to deal with the whole college thing?" he asked.

"Um…, I don't know. We can't decide. I don't know what to do."

"You guys could always meet up on the weekends. Meet halfway, like in Louisiana or something," Chad suggested.

"I don't know. He's just being stubborn. I really love him though. He means a lot to me. We've been dating or almost 3 years. I really love him," Gabriela admitted

"I know. He loves you too. He just is really confused with the whole scholarship deal and everything," Chad reassured her.

"Well, he needs to figure out real quick. I'm not going to make this decision on my own," Gabriella shook her head.

**HSM**

"So, which college are you guys going to," Kelsi, Gabriella and Taylor's friend, asked everyone.

Gabriella, Troy, Taylor, Chad, Kelsi and her boyfriend Jason had all gone out for a graduation dinner.

"University of New Mexico Los Alamos," Chad and Gabriella said at the same time.

"Georgia State," Taylor replied.

"Florida State," Troy murmured.

"I'm going to Florida too," Jason said to Troy.

"I'm going to take a break from school for awhile," Kelsi said.

Everyone looked at her with a funny look on their face. She was one of the smartest people there and everyone figured she'd _want_ to go to college.

"What? College is a big deal. I need to be sure I'm making a good choice," Kelsi told everyone.

The rest of the dinner was quiet. At the end, everyone said goodbye and went home. Troy stayed to give Gabriella a ride. He looked for her after dinner but couldn't find her.

"_I'm not going to wait forever,"_ he thought to himself.

**HSM**

As he drove he saw a feminine figure walking along and knew it was Gabriella.

"Gabriella, get in," He said to her.

"No."

"It's too cold for you to walk," Troy told her.

"Really? I feel perfectly fine," Gabriella lied. For a June night, it was pretty chilly.

"Gabby, you're shivering. I know you don't want to be out her in this weather," Troy replied.

"How would you know what I want? You don't even know what you want," Gabriella shouted.

"Please, Gabriella. Just get in the car."

She looked at him and their eyes met. He had sincerity in his eyes and Gabriella gave in and got in the car.

"You're such an ass," Gabriella told him.

"Fine. Then get out of the asses moving car," Troy joked.

"Fine," Gabriella laughed and opened the card door. Troy stopped at a jolt.

"You're not funny," Troy glared.

"I laughed," Gabriella taunted.

"It's sad that the only way to get you to smile is to almost give someone else a heart attack," Troy remarked.

"So, we have to talk about this college deal," Gabriella became serious.

"I guess so," Troy said as he pulled into an empty parking lot.

"So."

"Okay, here's what I think we should do," Gabriella began. "I think that we should wait."

"Wait?" Troy raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, wait. We don't have to beak up or anything like that. We can just talk and decide on when we want to see each other and then just go with it. We can wait until we're both done with college and take a few moths to figure out if we still want to be together. I want to wait, Troy," Gabriella poured out.

"I want to wait, too. But what if we meet other people at our colleges and we fall in love. I don't want that to happen and I have to face the disappointment of breaking your heart. I just can't take that, Gabby. I love you too much to do that to you, Gabby," Troy admitted.

"I know, Troy. I know," Gabriella sighed.

Troy reached into his glove box and pulled out a ring.

"Troy, you didn't!" Gabriella gasped.

"Now, don't get all excited. It's not an engagement ring. It's a promise ring," Troy told her as he slipped into onto her finger.

"Oh, Troy! It's beautiful!" Gabriella squealed.

"I know. This is my promise to you, Gabby. I love you. I always have, I always will," Troy promised.

"Oh, Troy, thank you so much," Gabriella smiled and hugged him.

"I'll wait for you, Gabriella."

"I'll wait for you too, Troy."

**HSM**

**A/N- Well, there's my first chapter. I don't know if I should continue it or not. I hope you guys like it. Please press that little purple button that says go and please send me a review! BTW, please no flames! But, I do accept ways I can make the story better. Thanks so much!**


	2. Bad Choices

**A/N- Thanks for the reviews!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own High School Musical...**

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8 years later

"Georgina, please eat your lunch," Gabriella told her 2 year old daughter.

"Gina, come on, honey. It's good. See, I'll eat it," Chad told her as he put the baby food in his mouth.

"Thank you, Chad."

Gabriella and Chad had gotten married 3 years ago. They had a baby a year after.

Gabriella had waited for Troy. Troy hadn't come back. She didn't know where he was. She waited a year for Troy. Chad was there for her and they got together and got married, made a family.

The doorbell rang and Sharpay walked in. Sharpay and Gabriella had become best friends.

"How's my favorite god daughter?" Sharpay said to Georgina.

"Hey, Sharpay," Chad said.

"Hey. How's my favorite soon-to-be god son?" she said as she bent down near Gabriella's stomach and rubbed it.

"A pain in the butt. He just keeps kicking me," Gabriella shook her head.

"Is she all ready to go?" Sharpay asked.

"Why?"

"Chad, I told you I was taking her to the zoo today. Remember?" Sharpay reminded him.

"Oh. I have to go get her dressed," Chad rolled his eyes and picked up his daughter.

Gabriella sensed something in the way Sharpay said that and then the way Chad's expression looked. As if he had suddenly remembered something.

**CHADELLA**

"Have fun, you two. Be good, Gina," Gabriella called after her daughter.

"We will. Say bye, Gina," Sharpay held her god daughter and smiled.

They left and Gabriella sighed.

"I'm hungry," she told Chad when they were inside.

"Says the pregnant woman," Chad smiled.

He was leaning over to kiss her when he was interrupted by the doorbell. He sighed and then widened his eyes.

"Okay, Gabriella. There is someone behind that door. Please don't yell or hit them. Understand? Just remain calm. You may be speechless at first but don't get too ahead of yourself. Remain calm," Chad gulped.

"I'm confused. What do I not know?" she wrinkled her eyebrows at him. The doorbell rang again.

"Just wait and see."

He walked quickly to the door and sighed before opening it. There stood a brown haired, blue-eyed, about 6 foot tall man. Gabriella took one look at him and her heart dropped.

Troy.

The love of her life. The man she had waited for. She had waited for him. He just never came back for her.

"Troy. Come on in," Chad smiled as he embraced his high school best friend in a hug.

Gabriella still stood with her hands by her side. He walked in as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He had flowers in his hand and he handed them to Gabriella.

"Hey Gabriella," Troy smiled at her. "You look even more beautiful than before."

"Yeah. That's what happens after 8 years, Troy," Gabriella replied, coldly.

"Gabriella! Don't be like that. He came out here just to see you," Chad glared at her.

"A little too late."

"I understand. I shouldn't have come. I'll just go," Troy looked down.

"No, Troy. You don't have to leave. Gabriella, can I talk to you in the kitchen?" Chad told her, not as much as he meant it a question.

"Just talk to him, okay? I know it's weird but he really just wants to patch things up. He really means well. Give him a chance," Chad whispered.

Without saying anything, Gabriella walked into the living room. She sat down on the couch. Troy was still standing.

"Troy, you can have a seat," Chad told him with a warm voice.

"Oh, thank you."

"I have to run out to the store really quick but I will be back," Chad dashed out the door before Troy or Gabriella could say a word. Gabriella glared at the door, knowing he only left so they could talk.

It was so quiet; you could've heard a pin drop. Every now and then, Gabriella and Troy's eyes would meet. His contained shame and sadness and regret, her eyes…only sadness.

She had waited for him. He hadn't come back. She assumed he hadn't wanted her. Gabriella had so many questions.

"Why now, Troy? Why did you decide to come back now?" Gabriella broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, Gabby. I called Sharpay, just to talk. She told me you were pregnant and that I should come to catch up. I've missed so much, Gabby. I'm so sorry."

"Troy, your sorry is too late. I'm over it. I just don't understand," Gabriella began. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "Why didn't you come back, Troy? I waited for you. I didn't start a relationship with anyone for a whole year. I thought you were just taking your time. You never called. You never showed. I figured you hated me. I just can't believe you would do that to me." She was now in hysterical tears.

"I'm sorry, Gabby."

"Stop saying you're sorry! It's not going to change anything. It's just making the matters worse. So stop saying you're sorry!" she stood and screamed at him.

"I'm sor--," he stopped himself. It was a recurring thing he always said in his everyday life. He felt irregular _without _saying 'sorry' for one time a day.

"I don't mean to. I feel so much remorse. I love you, Gabby. I didn't mean to leave you. I had…some things going on in my life and I didn't want to bring any of those problems back to you. I couldn't do that to you. I couldn't hurt you. I loved you too much to do that to you," Troy said. When he said that, Gabriella ears rang. She had heard those words before. But where…?

"How dare you! It's been 8 years and you're still saying the same damn things!" Gabriella shouted at him. She finally realized where the words came from.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, puzzled.

"Remember the night of graduation?"

He still looked confused.

"Think harder, Troy. Think really hard."

Seconds passed, although it felt like minutes, before Troy remembered.

"Oh my goodness," he finally remembered. "I'm so sor--."

"Don't say it!"

_Flashback begins_

"_Yeah, wait. We don't have to beak up or anything like that. We can just talk and decide on when we want to see each other and then just go with it. We can wait until we're both done with college and take a few moths to figure out if we still want to be together. I want to wait, Troy," Gabriella poured out._

"_I want to wait, too. But what if we meet other people at our colleges and we fall in love. I don't want that to happen and I have to face the disappointment of breaking your heart. I just can't take that, Gabby. I love you too much to do that to you, Gabby," Troy admitted._

_Flashback ends_

"It's all coming back to you now, huh?" Gabriella asked him, outraged.

She walked up the stairs without saying a word and he stayed in his seat. She came back down a few moments later and had a box in her hand. She threw the box at him.

"Take it. It's your promise ring. I took it off after Chad and I got married," she said, still upset.

"Why don't you want it? I got this for you," Troy had sadness in his eyes and voice.

"I know. I don't want it. I only keep a promise ring if the actual _promise _is kept. You broke your promise. This would be perfect if I had given you one. I waited, Troy. You didn't. You never even came back," Gabriella shook her head. She was no longer sad, just irritated.

"Gabriella, you don't understand. It was just a really hard time. I had some bad stuff going on. You wouldn't under--."

"Really, Troy? I wouldn't_ understand_. I think I might. Why don't you give it a shot?"

"I got into a lot of bad things. I was taking drugs, drinking excessively. I've been in rehab 4 times, Gabby. 4 times. I lost my basketball scholarship. I couldn't bring that onto you. I wanted to come back. I would've called but I was living on the streets. I had no one to go to. My parents moved away, I couldn't contact anyone. I was just hopeless," Troy blurted out.

Gabriella stared at him with sympathy in her eyes.

"Oh, Troy. I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

Troy put his hand up to stop her.

"Please. Don't be sorry. I should be sorry. I _am _sorry. I don't want you to feel bad for me, Gabby. I want you to forgive me. Don't hate me. Don't have regret of ever being with me. I'm sorry you waited for me. I'm sorry. I just want forgiveness from you," Troy told her.

"I don't regret ever being with you. I forgive you, too," Gabriella smiled as she moved closer to Troy.

"Here. Please don't throw everything we had away. Take the ring," Troy said as he handed Gabriella the promise ring. "I want you to keep it. As a memory. As a memory of our love, Gabby. I'll always love you."

"I'll always love you, too."

They stared at each other in silence.

"So a baby, huh?" Troy started.

"Yeah. It's a boy."

Just then, Chad walked in.

"So…? Are you two okay now?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're okay now," Gabriella smiled and nodded before wiping a tear form her eye.

"So, Troy. How's life been for you?"

"It's been…a handful. I've made some bad choices...but I'm ready to make some good ones."

**CHADELLA**

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A/N- I don't know if I should just leave this as a two-shot or continue. Please review to let me know what you think I should do. Thanks!!


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